Audience AU24 SX Interconnect Cables (RCA)

User reviews and community discussions praise the Audience AU24 SX RCA Interconnect Cables for their organic, natural sound with exceptional midrange smoothness, coherence, and musical engagement, often describing them as a top-tier choice for audiophiles seeking fluidity and immersion.

### Sound Quality
Reviewers consistently highlight a smooth, natural timbre with rich midrange, excellent imaging, depth, and air, avoiding graininess or harshness. Key descriptors include "organic and natural flow," "mesmerizing coherence," "luscious midrange," and "fluid balance of ease, articulation, and immersiveness." Compared to alternatives like High Fidelity Reveal (more energetic and detailed but less smooth) or Zenwave D4 (thinner and snappier), the AU24 SX offers superior body, weight, and dimensionality, though it may resolve some micro-details slightly less. Tonal balance is near-neutral with a touch of warmth in the treble, enhancing purity and organic dynamics without emphasis or attenuation.

### Build Quality
The cables are lightweight, thin, and highly flexible, making them easy to handle and route, even in tight spaces like around the Chord DAVE—unlike stiffer competitors. They use 99.9999% pure OCC copper conductors in a dual concentric design with XLPE dielectric, terminated by proprietary ultra-light, solder-free bullet-style RCA plugs that fit snugly without screws and resist loosening over time. Jackets are braided, smooth, and robust against snags.

### Reliability
No major reliability complaints appear in reviews; connectors are praised for sturdiness and ease of swapping, with no reports of loosening or damage from repeated use. Long-term listening (months) reaffirmed performance without degradation noted. Burn-in is mentioned for speaker cables in one forum post, but not specifically as an issue for RCAs.

### Strengths
- Musicality and engagement: Goosebump-inducing dynamics, punch, sparkle, and hypnotic flow; excels in timbre, soundstage depth, and low-level detail retrieval.
- Versatility: Pairs well in neutral systems; subtle yet significant upgrade over cables like DH Labs Air Matrix, especially via RCA.
- Value: High performance at a relatively affordable price for high-end cables, earning awards and "holy grail" status in comparisons.

### Weaknesses
- Less ultimate resolution or air than some rivals (e.g., Zenwave D4 or High Fidelity Reveal), potentially trading micro-detail for smoother body.
- Slight treble warmth may not suit systems craving absolute neutrality or maximum sparkle; errs toward omission in some nuances without detracting from enjoyment.
- Subtle upgrade in balanced XLR setups compared to RCA, where benefits are more pronounced.

### Overall Reputation
The AU24 SX RCAs enjoy a stellar reputation as trend-setting, reference-level interconnects—often called "remarkable," "world-class," and "as close to the holy grail as possible"—with strong recommendations for their purity, naturalness, and system-enhancing traits across professional reviews and forums. Users upgrading to newer models like SX2 note even better performance, but the SX remains highly regarded.